Lower limb: flexor hallucis longus: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Lower limb: flexor hallucis longus

Sample item

A ballet dancer has posterior ankle pain and the big toe catches when she moves from plantarflexion to dorsiflexion. Which tendon runs in a groove on the back of the talus and beneath the sustentaculum tali?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Flexor hallucis longus

Flexor hallucis longus passes through a groove on the posterior talus and then below the sustentaculum tali into the sole. Stenosing tenosynovitis here in dancers causes triggering of the big toe.

Option by option

  • A. Fibularis longus

    This tendon runs behind the lateral malleolus and under the cuboid.

  • B. Flexor hallucis longus (correct)

    Correct. This tendon uses the posterior talar groove and the sustentaculum tali.

  • C. Tibialis posterior

    This tendon passes behind the medial malleolus and inserts mainly onto the navicular.

  • D. Flexor digitorum longus

    This tendon lies in front of the vessels behind the medial malleolus and supplies the lateral four toes, not the big toe.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is B, Flexor hallucis longus. Flexor hallucis longus passes through a groove on the posterior talus and then below the sustentaculum tali into the sole.

Why is "Fibularis longus" not the answer?

This tendon runs behind the lateral malleolus and under the cuboid.

Why is "Tibialis posterior" not the answer?

This tendon passes behind the medial malleolus and inserts mainly onto the navicular.

Why is "Flexor digitorum longus" not the answer?

This tendon lies in front of the vessels behind the medial malleolus and supplies the lateral four toes, not the big toe.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Lower limb: flexor hallucis longus in Anatomy. Stenosing tenosynovitis here in dancers causes triggering of the big toe.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Lower limb: flexor hallucis longus?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.